Bright poly chrome eyes peered up over the pointed and snow-laden board.
"Stormy!"
The poor young cat flew off the fence and was promptly tackled and pinned by another cat. He pushed her off before realizing who she was.
"Bella!"
He gasped, running forward to greet her. He purred in delight, "I haven't seen you since before Leaf-fall! Where were you?" Bella gently pushed the smaller tom away. "Hey, hey, calm down. I just went past the twoleg place and near the mountains for a while. Now, I... Nevermind."
Stormy nodded, slightly in awe that she returned and a little... confused. What had changed? She seemed different, reserved and quieter. What was wrong with her and what was she not telling her? Stormy narrowed his gray flecked eyes and stared at her. "OK, then. I'm glad to have you back." The awkward moment passed and he smiled, as did she.
"Do I look any different? You were right, it has been a while. I think we both changed." She spoke hesitantly, moving so that he could get a good look at her. He did the same, turning to look back. She was right; She did look different. She looked sleeker, with shinier fur and lithe legs. She was now taller than he was and looked fully mature. Her eyes were a much prettier and brighter blue, instead of the dark blue they were when she left. Her black spots and stripes along her lighter colored fur were darker. She was, for lack of a better word, enchanting. What? Why would I think that? She is my best friend, not some any day regular kittypet.
Stormy shrugged it off and realized it had just been spur of the moment.
As he had observed her, she had observed him. He hadn't changed much besides his fluffy kit fur changing or shedding off. He was still the same bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young friend she had left behind. She rolled her eyes, knowing she must have looked amazingly different and she probably did. He really didn't have to completely analyze or gawk at her either.
"So, have you seen Tuxedo lately?"
Stormy sighed and looked away. Bella already knew this was going to be a sore subject. "Tuxedo went to the cutter."
Bella gasped and stomped her right paw, "What? Tuxedo went THERE?" Storm flinched and nodded. "Yes, he did. It was horrible! He was so full of life and when he came back, he was just a fat blob of fur! Now, it's hard to resist pushing him off a fence or dumping out his food bowl. I hate it, Bella. He just isn't the cat we used to know!" He mewed mournfully, looking at her with a feeling of melancholy.
"That's not the worst part... I fear my owners will take me soon. I couldn't handle it. I really don't want to go, I want to be out there. I want to be out with the rest of those cats, fighting for what I believe in and for freedom. I want to feel apart of something that is bigger than myself. I want to be with you out there, training and fighting by your side. No matter what you tell me, I know it has to be more than I can imagine." He whispered softy, staring out into the woods with a dazed look in his eyes. Bella smiled and focused on a large birch tree, her blue eyes suddenly containing the same look as his.
"Alright. Then, we'll go together. We'll go and find something for ourselves. We'll make it out there. We'll find a place free of twolegs. We'll find a place filled with cats our age and older. We'll find a place where we matter. We'll find a place where we belong." She whispered in his ear, having moved over. Stormy's ear twitched and he stared out, his eyes growing wide.
"We leave tomorrow, at sunrise."